In the Shadows
by Free-Yourself-x
Summary: The war ended over five years ago, but when Ino is alone, the loneliness is unrelenting. She just misses him is all.


**In the Shadows  
**April 11, 2014  
Five years following the end of the war; experimental follow-up to Black Keys

* * *

Outside, it storms. Lightning illuminates the village, momentarily painting their shadows on the walls. In a flash, it's gone, and the gray colors of the dull afternoon fill the room once again.

Mari whines as Ino brushes through her dark hair. It's been a long day, she realizes—a little too long for a grumpy 4-year-old. It's two in the afternoon, and she has already bitten her grandmother, broken a vase, and yanked a handful of Choji's hair out during breakfast. Ino tries not to be too hard on her when she gets like this; after all, she knows how hard it is to be without your daddy, and she misses him too. She suddenly recalls one of Mari's monstrous temper tantrums from a year ago—one where she was absolutely _screaming_ at her father to take the _red _bow out of her hair and put the _purple _one in. Ino had turned to him and declared, '_Honestly! I don't know where she gets the bossiness from!'_

Disbelief had flashed in his eyes before he deadpanned, '_Um.'_

'_Be quiet.'_

They are a lot alike, she and her daughter.

She feels a small weight fall against her and realizes that Mari is struggling to stay awake. Smiling, she collects her daughter in her arms and moves her to the top of the bed, pulling the blanket over her. Within seconds, blue eyes flutter shut, and the toddler drifts off into dreams with a smile on her face. Ino returns that smile, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Sleep tight, my little bush clover."

It's hard to believe that she's been in their lives for four years. Although Mari was an unexpected gift, she is the best one that either of them could have ever wished for; Ino spends every possible moment with her, and it makes her heart soar to see _him_ looking so happy and young. As her mind drifts to him again, she distinctly remembers her mother furiously holding a kunai to his throat after their pregnancy announcement. Before then, Ino notes with a chuckle, she had never seen true fear on his face. However, she really can't blame her mother for reacting so violently; they _had _been only eighteen.

A lot of people were shocked; some were even angry or jealous. Despite that, Ino had not been able to be anything but happy as her little family filled the gaping holes in her heart. She distinctly remembers beginning to feel whole again—like she had rediscovered her place in life. She woke up in his arms every morning and fell asleep in them every night… and then Mari was born. Slowly, the meaning in her life had returned to her. Ino is so immensely grateful for that. She never wants to lose her purpose again… but that's when she remembers that it's just the two of them in the room, and the sadness comes rushing back.

Desperate to distract herself, she returns to the pile of laundry sitting on the floor. It proves to be a bad choice, because her hands almost immediately graze over one of his shirts. She watches it sadly for a moment, her palm running over the symbol on the back. Then, with a deep sigh, she picks it up and holds it close to her, burying her face in its warmth. It still smells like him. It isn't fair.

Turning, she catches sight of herself in the mirror, and that's when Ino realizes that she's still dressed in sweatpants and a loose t-shirt. She pauses, remembering how she used to wake up early and spend hours perfecting her outfits, make-up, and hair. She had wanted to look good for everyone and everything, but settling down with him has put a stop to that. Now is different; now she will stay in bed if it means that he will hold her just a little bit longer. He always does. She never has to ask more than once.

At the thought, she decides against folding the rest of the laundry and carefully lays down next to Mari. She misses him. He makes her happier than she has ever been. He makes her feel beautiful even if it's four in the morning and she's kneeled over the toilet, sick with the flu. He's always there, holding her hair back and reminding her that he doesn't care what she looks like. That's not why he loves her, he says, with a roll of his eyes; it's just a bonus that she's beautiful no matter what.

Ino drapes his shirt over Mari's sleeping figure and sighs, thankful that the rain is preventing them from going outside. She doesn't want to socialize if he is not there, and she doesn't want to have fun when there's the possibility that he could be hurt somewhere. When her father was killed, he was the one who pulled her out of the darkness, but now he's gone. Ino understands that he's an important shinobi, and it's their duty to follow the Hokage's orders, but he was only supposed to be gone for a week. It's been a month with no word. She worries that he won't come back. She wants to stop thinking about him, but she can't.

She closes her eyes, protectively holding her daughter close to her. A deep sleeper like her father, Mari does not even budge. Ino sighs lightly, wishing Inoichi and Asuma could be alive to meet her. She hopes that they are proud of her, wherever they are, but one thing she knows for sure is that they would have loved Mari. She is the perfect mix of her mother and father, with a love for flowers and indisputable talent. She has his black hair and her blue eyes, and Ino wonders whose jutsu she'll inherit, if not both; they complement each other, after all.

She hears the front door slide open, but she knows that it's just Choji stopping by to check on her. He usually comes by around the same time every day, offering to bring her out to lunch or take Mari off her hands for the afternoon. Ino almost never gives up her daughter, but Choji's a good friend for asking; she knows she can trust him with Mari if she is appointed a mission or tasked with some sort of duty.

But she is not busy today, and all she wants to do is stay in and spend the day with her littlest one. She is not motivated or impassioned to do anything else.

Suddenly, just as she is about to fall asleep, strong arms slide over her slender frame. It's not Choji. Ino's eyes open wide, but she doesn't get up or jump out of bed. She remains still because both her brain and heart tell her that this is no stranger's hold; she's woken up in these arms more times than she can count. He runs his fingers through her hair, and her body relaxes as his lips press against her neck. Before she can stop herself, the tears begin to fall.

"Shikamaru. You're home."

"Meh, troublesome woman," he breathes, lacing their fingers together. "I've missed you."


End file.
